Germany Cruise from Stralsund to Hamburg — 11 Days

Stralsund, Germany

Stralsund stands on Germany’s Baltic coast, where medieval streets meet the waters of the Strelasund. Its red-brick churches, merchants’ houses and town hall reflect the wealth of a former Hanseatic trading power. The UNESCO-listed old town rewards an unhurried walk, while the Ozeaneum brings Baltic marine life into view. Look beyond the harbor, and you’ll find a city shaped by the sea, with a direct link to Rügen Island.

Lauterbach-Rugen, Germany

Lauterbach is Rügen’s small harbour village, where sailboats and fishing craft share the water with excursion boats. Step ashore for an easy waterfront walk, or ride the narrow-gauge Rasender Roland railway into Putbus. Known for its neoclassical architecture and landscaped grounds, the town offers a striking change from the coast. Boat trips reach Vilm, a protected island in the Southeast Rügen Biosphere Reserve, on guided visits.

Peenemunde-Usedom, Germany

Peenemünde sits at the northern tip of Usedom, beside the Peenestrom waterway. Behind its quiet waterfront lies a pivotal, unsettling chapter in modern history. The Historical-Technical Museum occupies the former power station of the wartime rocket research center. Exhibits explain how the V-2 was developed here and confront the human cost of its production and use. Come for clear-eyed history, then linger over the island’s broad skies, pine-fringed shore, and brisk Baltic air.

Wolgast, Germany

Wolgast rewards travelers who look beyond the beach resorts of nearby Usedom. Set beside the Peenestrom, this compact Hanseatic town is the mainland gateway to the island, reached by a striking bridge. Explore streets around St. Peter’s Church, then pause on Schlossinsel, once home to the Pomeranian dukes’ residence. The Peene harbor keeps Wolgast closely tied to its maritime setting.

Szczecin, Poland

Szczecin rewards travelers who look beyond Poland’s familiar capitals. Set on the Oder River, it is a historic port with broad boulevards and an easygoing waterfront. Begin at Wały Chrobrego, the riverside terrace, where grand civic buildings frame views across the working harbor. Then visit the Pomeranian Dukes’ Castle or the striking white Philharmonic, both reminders of a city rebuilt with purpose. Allow time for a café and a walk through the compact old town.

Schwedt-Oder, Germany

Schwedt sits beside the Oder, close to the Polish border and the Lower Oder Valley National Park. Broad floodplains, quiet waterways and seasonal birdlife offer a striking change from city sightseeing. The town reflects a complex past: wartime destruction reshaped its centre, while tobacco cultivation once brought prosperity. Come for open landscapes, local history and a rare look at Germany’s river frontier.

Hohensaaten, Germany

Hohensaaten sits where the Oder meets the Oder-Havel Canal, on Germany’s quiet eastern frontier with Poland. From the water, this Brandenburg village opens onto canals, wetlands and broad river skies. Nearby, the historic Niederfinow boat lifts reveal the engineering ambition behind Europe’s inland waterways. Come ashore for a quieter Germany: working waterways, open countryside and the distinctive stillness of the Oder valley.

Eberswalde, Germany

Eberswalde lies among Brandenburg’s forests, northeast of Berlin, beside the Finow Canal, one of Germany’s oldest artificial waterways. The former brass works now house the Family Garden, a lively reminder of the town’s industrial story. A short journey away, Chorin Abbey rewards visitors with serene grounds and memorable Brick Gothic architecture. For travellers who value regional history, wooded scenery and a gentler pace, Eberswalde makes an engaging stop.

• Niederfinow Boat Lift (Ask Travel Agent)

Berlin, Germany

Berlin rewards visitors who look beyond its grand boulevards. The Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag and remnants of the Wall trace a city shaped by empire, division and reunification. Museum Island holds five major museums, while neighbourhood cafés and galleries reveal a lively present. Berlin lies inland; cruise calls marketed as Berlin generally involve a long transfer from Warnemünde. Allow time for the journey and choose your sights carefully.

Potsdam, Germany

Potsdam rewards visitors who look beyond Berlin. This Brandenburg capital pairs grand Prussian palaces with quiet lakes, leafy parks and streets made for an unhurried walk. At Sanssouci, Frederick the Great’s summer palace rises above terraced vineyards, while the grounds invite time to linger. The Dutch Quarter brings a different character, with red-brick gabled houses and cafés. At Cecilienhof, history turns serious: the 1945 Potsdam Conference helped shape postwar Europe.

Genthin, Germany

Genthin sits beside the Elbe–Havel Canal in Saxony-Anhalt, where waterways shaped the region’s trade and industry. Its railway and canal heritage gives this modest town a distinctly working character. Look for traces of its brickmaking past, then explore the flat, green landscapes of the Jerichower Land. Nearby Jerichow Abbey offers a rewarding excursion, with one of northern Germany’s notable Romanesque brick ensembles. Choose Genthin for a quieter stop grounded in local history.

Burg bei Magdeburg, Germany

Brandenburg an der Havel is a city of water, brick and deep history, about 70 kilometres west of Berlin. St Peter and Paul Cathedral stands on Dominsel, an island in the Havel. The Old Town and New Town retain distinct historic centres. Explore Gothic churches, medieval gates and quiet riverfront paths. This is a rewarding stop for travellers who prefer discovery at an unhurried pace.

Tangermunde, Germany

Tangermünde rewards a visit with one of northern Germany’s best-preserved medieval townscapes. Set above the Elbe, its red-brick walls, towers and gates still define the old town. Begin at the late-Gothic Rathaus, then walk to St Stephen’s Church, whose soaring tower anchors the skyline. Cobbled lanes lead past half-timbered houses and quiet courtyards. Allow time to look beyond the monuments: river views explain why this small town mattered for trade and defense.

Lauenburg-Elbe, Germany

Lauenburg sits where the Elbe meets the Elbe-Lübeck Canal, a river town shaped by centuries of trade. Walk steep lanes into a compact old quarter of half-timbered merchants’ houses. The Elbschifffahrtsmuseum, housed in the former town hall, traces the region’s working river heritage. The historic paddle steamer Kaiser Wilhelm adds a living link to Lauenburg’s river past. From the waterfront, the scale is intimate; the Elbe remains the main event.

Hamburg, Germany

Hamburg rewards visitors who look beyond its grand harbor to discover a city shaped by trade and water. From the Speicherstadt warehouses and canals to the Elbphilharmonie’s sweeping river views, Hamburg pairs historic character with modern ambition. Stroll around the Rathaus and lakeside paths, then sample fresh fish or coffee in a city with enduring maritime energy. Allow time for a harbor ferry: it offers a memorable view of Hamburg’s working waterfront.

• Geesthacht (Ask Travel Agent)